In what resembles a three-ring circus, the Oglala Sioux Tribal Councils actions
grow more bizarre by the day. In an off-reservation meeting last week, the Council passes
a resolution that would, in essence, preclude them from criminal prosecution in the light
of preliminary audit findings. Tribal members are enraged by the blatant callous actions
of their elected officials. Grass Roots Oyate spokespeople stated, " no one is
above the law, not even the Tribal Council!"

At the behest of the Grass Roots Oyate, a full forensic audit of the Tribes
financial records is underway. On national public radio, Kevin Gover, U.S. Assistant
Secretary of Interior stated that his office would pay for a five-year, full forensic
audit to determine if the Grass Roots Oyate' allegations are true. The Oyate are
holding Mr. Gover to his word.

To date, an audit of the 1999 General Fund account is complete and the 99
Indirect Cost Fund audit is scheduled for release today. Due to the fact that the Bureau
of Indian Affairs is financing the audit, they will have the first peek at it. The Grass
Roots Oyate are pressuring local and regional BIA officials to provide them with copies
for immediate distribution to tribal members. For years, corrupt tribal officials have
refused to provide financial reports to tribal members.

Constitutional Reform Underway

The Grass Roots Oyate have recruited renowned constitutional attorney, Dean Cycon, to
assist them with intermediary and long-term changes to create a more people-centered,
traditionally based form of governance. Cycon, a long time advocate for oppressed
indigenous nations, is working "pro bono" t assist in this process. In a
two-hour radio interview on the Tribes KILI radio station, Cycon stated that the
complete changeover to traditional government will take time, but immediate amendments can
and must be implemented to effectively stop the cycle of corruption. Cycon, who has
basically retired as a practicing attorney, spends his days roasting organic coffee beans
on his East Coast farm. Through the success of his coffee enterprise, he is able to
dedicate his spare time to assist indigenous tribes from Montana to South America. Since
his arrival on the reservation, he has visited with numbers tribal members and is
conducting open forum meetings in various communities on the reservation to get input on
the new government structure.

Land? What Land?

One of the top demands of the Grass Roots Oyate has been a full land audit of the Pine
Ridge Agency, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Oglala Sioux Tribes land offices.
There has been no official written response to this request, however, the BIA
superintendent, Robert Ecoffey has stated, " it would take years and cost too
much money." In April 1999, the Oglala Sioux Tribal Council passed a resolution to
have these audits conducted based on testimony from four community meetings. To day, no
audit has been conducted and tribal members continue to lose their land base. The
underlying concern is that the land records are as disorganized as the I.IM. Account
records that have become the subject of a federal class action lawsuit. The Grass Roots
Oyate are putting the Department of Interior on notice. As the caretaker of indigenous
tribes, the Department of Interior has fiduciary responsibility to keep accurate records
on behalf of tribes.

In their 110th day of the peaceful occupation of the Red Cloud Building, the
Grass Roots Oyate vow they will remain in the building until the Tribes Treasurer
and Tribal Council are removed from office for gross misconduct and mismanagement of the
Tribes $120+ million annual funding from the U.S.

As with all my emails concerning the Occupation Peoples please forward
to any and all interested parties in its entirety